The Amgen Tour of California’s decision to bypass the Central Coast in 2012, yanking Solvang’s time trial stage along with it, left cycling enthusiasts in the Santa Ynez Valley with a considerable racing void.
Enter the Firestone Walker Avenue of Flags Criterium on March 31, the first race of its kind in downtown Buellton—and one organizers say has the potential to become a premier cycling event in the region in the coming years.
Mike Hecker, board member of the Santa Ynez Valley Cycling Club and the race’s promoter, grew up near the Avenue of Flags and envisioned having a race there for more than a decade. Local cyclists are “ecstatic” about it, he said, and ready for the challenge.
“We need a race of this caliber on the Central Coast,” Hecker explained. “I just wanted to give back, and the way to do it is to organize with this club and get the city behind it and try to build an event that becomes more than a one-day event.”
As opposed to other types of bike races, such as road races or time trials, a criterium takes place on a closed circuit course less than a mile long, and racers attempt to complete the most laps they can in a certain time—usually 30 to 90 minutes, depending on skill level. Hecker, a former category 2 level racer who will also be competing in the event, equated the experience to a NASCAR race.
“It’s really an exciting format for spectators to come out and watch because they see the racers every two minutes or so, and there’s always something going on,” he said.
Criteriums—also known as “crits”—are held nearly every weekend across Southern California, but most take place in industrial parks. Hecker put on a similar downtown race in Solvang in 2004, but didn’t draw the numbers he’d hoped for. For Buellton, he wanted something different: an event designed not only for cyclists, but for children and families as well. He added a free children’s race, an expo area, a kids’ zone, and a beer garden. All of it, he said, is intended to turn the criterium into a signature event for the city, drawing pro and amateur riders, as well as tourists.
While he first presented the idea of the race to city officials 14 years ago, Hecker had help in organizing it from fellow board members of the Santa Ynez Valley Cycling Club, including its president, Scott Martin. Martin said the location would be a perfect venue for curious spectators and would introduce the sport to locals in a way not seen before.
“It’s downtown Buellton. It’s in an area that most of the residents can walk to. It’s really a great thing for us,” Martin said. “We really are positioned perfectly for an event of this nature, and really showcasing the great proprietors in Buellton, and the city welcoming them with open arms, is fantastic.”
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After a date opened up on the racing calendar in November, organizers worked fast to get the city’s approval to close down the Avenue of Flags to traffic. With the backing of council member John Connolly and mayor Holly Sierra, the city council narrowly approved the event in December, and donated law enforcement and prize money for the event.
“The city was very generous and open in wanting the event, so we were lucky in that respect,” Martin said.
The races are sanctioned by USA Cycling, and will count for points in the Southern California Nevada Cycling Association (SCNCA), which is early into its season. Martin said he expects a field of up to 600 pros and amateurs by race day, thanks to a $15,000 purse in cash and prizes. The amount qualifies it as a Category B race, the second richest type of race cyclists can compete in.
“Our ability to draw in these high-caliber racers and high-caliber clubs to really demonstrate what this sport’s about should be fantastic,” Martin said. “Plus, you’ve got to love watching the kids. That’s just absolutely a blast.”
Though organizers aren’t sure yet what the turnout will be, members of the Santa Ynez Cycling Club, including several from the club’s junior mountain biking and road racing teams, will be racing.
The club’s juniors head coach David Tonello said his students should benefit from being able to race in front of their friends, providing a boost to their energy levels and their egos.
“I’m really excited for them because it means they don’t have to either drive really far that morning or stay in an unfamiliar place overnight, so they should be well rested riding close to home,” he said.
Tonello explained that the course, while short, would be a difficult test of fitness, with enough turns, sprints, and cornering to challenge even the most seasoned cyclist. He added that he hopes the event inspires other youth to take up the sport, exposing them to a different kind of race than they’re accustomed to seeing.
“They’re going to be surprised by how exciting and spectator-friendly it is,” Tonello said. “I’m looking at getting more kids exposed to it and saying, ‘Hey, that looks like fun,’ as opposed to plodding along for 100 miles like most people think of bike riding.”
Race promoter Hecker said he hopes the event becomes a “mini Tour of California.” With more time to plan, Hecker said he wants to expand the event to three days, as soon as next year, to keep spectators in town.
“We’re totally grateful to the city of Buellton for their support and understanding of what it is that we’re trying to build there,” he said.
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas thought a Criterium was a boxed set of classic movies. Contact him at jthomas @santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 22-29, 2012.